Cost of Living Comparison Between Zawiya and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Zawiya and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $422 in Zawiya versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $694 in Zawiya versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $967 in Zawiya versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Zawiya costs roughly 66% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zawiya 68% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 LYD 17.41

$4.55 ฿153

-40.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.45 LYD 118

$46.18 ฿1,553

-60.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.75 LYD 23.89

$8.84 ฿297

-57.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.53 LYD 3.40

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.23

Cappuccino

$0.48 LYD 3.03

$3.06 ฿103

-84.31%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 LYD 2.91

$0.73 ฿24.40

-36.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 LYD 0.67

$0.40 ฿13.39

-72.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 LYD 6.54

$2.26 ฿76.0

-54.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 LYD 1.47

$1.81 ฿60.9

-87.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 LYD 7.49

$2.25 ฿75.8

-47.56%

Eggs

$1.17 LYD 7.48

$2.25 ฿75.5

-48.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.99 LYD 31.76

$19.51 ฿656

-74.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 LYD 21.04

$3.65 ฿123

-9.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 LYD 66.2

$13.05 ฿439

-20.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 LYD 13.11

$3.23 ฿109

-36.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 LYD 8.49

$1.62 ฿54.4

-17.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 LYD 4.81

$2.38 ฿80.1

-68.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 LYD 3.36

$2.03 ฿68.1

-73.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 LYD 3.94

$1.53 ฿51.6

-59.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 LYD 2.12

$1.50 ฿50.5

-78.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 LYD 2.43

$0.98 ฿32.91

-61.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.17 LYD 1.10

$0.52 ฿17.39

-67.31%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.76 LYD 4.83

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 LYD 4.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 LYD 4.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.85 LYD 11.76

$4.44 ฿149

-58.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 LYD 5.78

$1.41 ฿47.46

-35.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.79 LYD 298

$11.70 ฿393

299.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 LYD 5.74

$3.11 ฿105

-71.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 LYD 5.66

$1.04 ฿35.06

-14.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 LYD 17.62

$14.11 ฿474

-80.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 LYD 0.18

$1.31 ฿44.10

-97.71%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$13.7K LYD 87.2K

$27.8K ฿935.4K

-50.79%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$16.4K LYD 104.7K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-50.53%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$32.61 LYD 208

$122 ฿4,118

-73.37%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$6.29 LYD 40.07

$13.59 ฿457

-53.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.17 LYD 90.2

$18.70 ฿629

-24.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.19 LYD 129

$60.5 ฿2,034

-66.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.68 LYD 29.82

$16.98 ฿571

-72.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.50 LYD 28.69

$9.07 ฿305

-50.39%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$52.3 LYD 333

$706 ฿23.8K

-92.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$908 LYD 5,786

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-94.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.44 LYD 137

$58.6 ฿1,969

-63.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.92 LYD 222

$35.36 ฿1,189

-1.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.12 LYD 205

$115 ฿3,883

-72.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.80 LYD 234

$83.7 ฿2,816

-56.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$106 LYD 674

$626 ฿21.0K

-83.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$69.9 LYD 445

$445 ฿15.0K

-84.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 LYD 1,268

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-90.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 LYD 864

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-90.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$467 LYD 2,975

$3,483 ฿117.1K

-86.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$38.16 LYD 243

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-98.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$253 LYD 1,613

$500 ฿16.8K

-49.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.5

5.33

228.33%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Zawiya: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $106 in Zawiya and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 97% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $18.00 in Zawiya vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $115 vs $289 per month, with Zawiya cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Zawiya vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zawiya is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 197% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 97% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $106 in Zawiya versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $52.3 in Zawiya versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 152% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $422 in Zawiya versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zawiya but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Zawiya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Zawiya is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Zawiya and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Zawiya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 197% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.